Earlier this week, we discussed how Buzzfeed got the ball rolling on “exposing” Chip and Joanna Gaines’ conservative Waco church. Chip and Joanna are the hosts of HGTV’s wildly popular Fixer Upper, one of the better shows in the “house-fixing-up” genre. They work with couples or families to purchase rundown Waco properties, then Chip renovates the houses and Joanna decorates them. The Gaineses are being pushed hard this year as reality-show breakout stars. With that added media attention came a closer focus on their faith. Both Chip and Joanna are Evangelical Christians, and they belong to a Waco church whose preacher says a lot of sh-t about LGBTQ people. The preacher is against gay marriage and believes that homosexuality is a choice, and gay people should be convinced (through conversion therapy, prayer and faith) to choose to be heterosexual, or at least just have hetero sex within hetero marriage.
Buzzfeed’s report was considered a “hit piece” in some quarters, and as you can imagine, the whole thing became one of those stupid pop-culture-and-faith issues, same with the Duggars and Duck Dynasty. Like, some people said Buzzfeed was “attacking” Christians for going to church. Which… no. If the Gaineses want to go to a church whose pastor preaches anti-LGBT hate speech, that’s their right. But when there’s an intersection of faith and commerce, things get tricky, and I personally wanted to know if Chip and Joanna have had issues or would have issues working with LGBTQ people. Well, the Gaineses still haven’t said anything, but HGTV said something.
On Wednesday, BuzzFeed published a damning report claiming that Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are members of a local Waco, Texas, church with a firm anti-same-sex-marriage stance that promotes gay conversion. The piece criticized the couple for how their religious beliefs may influence their hit HGTV show, calling into question whether or not they’ve discriminated against the LGBTQ community via who they pick to appear on their show. (Through three seasons, with a fourth just recently premiered, Fixer Upper has yet to feature a same-sex couple.)
While the stars have declined to comment, the network has come to the Gaineses’ defense. In a statement to BuzzFeed, HGTV says that Fixer Upper is as open to having same-sex clients as every other HGTV property: “We don’t discriminate against members of the LGBT community in any of our shows. HGTV is proud to have a crystal clear, consistent record of including people from all walks of life in its series.” The network did not confirm or deny whether the Gainseses attend that church, which for now is good news for shiplap lovers of all identities.
Which is what I said in my first post – HGTV has an outstanding record of LGBTQ inclusion, not to mention racial diversity, across their programming. If this was simply HGTV’s call, I would defend the network completely, because their record speaks for itself. But it would be interesting to know if the Gaineses have control over Fixer Upper’s production to the extent to which they could deny a gay couple the chance to be on their show. I believe the Gaineses do have that kind of production control, and I want to know if they’ve ever done that.
Magazine covers courtesy of Texas Monthly & Parade, additional photos courtesy of Joanna Gaines’ Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/joannagaines/?hl=en
I love HGTV but i’ve never liked them or their show. I find this couple to be SO annoying.
Flip or Flop is my jam. I wish Tarek and Christina were the “break out couple”
Same. I have always found these two to be fake and forced. Tarek and Christina seem much more genuine.
I prefer Flip or Flop too. Maybe because it’s only 30 minutes, lol. These two annoy the ever loving f*ck out of me.
I don’t like Flip or Flop or the show from these annoying homo/trans phobes. HGTV is downplaying it of course since Fixer Upper is successful and they will lie through their teeth to keep the gravy train rolling. Give me House Hunters and Tiny House Nation any day.
Same here. I adore Tarek and Christina and would happily (and have happily) watched a marathon of Flip or Flop. They are such a cute family and I love Christina’s style.
I can only take Fixer Upper in very, very small doses. Chip gets on my nerves to the nth degree.
Flip or Flop is my favorite, too, but I think Christina needs to tone it down. She wears a ton of makeup, her teeth are unnaturally white and her hair is overdone to be doing renovations. That said, I do like the dynamic between her and her husband. There’s a flirty competitive vibe between them. My husband takes issue with them because all of their makeovers look the same, even down to the gray color they like so much. When he pointed that out, I had to agree with him.
@WTW, I meant Christina’s redecorating style, lol
Given that they can’t customize too much because they aren’t targeting a specific individual (a la Fixer Upper), I like their renovation choices. But then, I adore grey. It is a very calming color for me. I generally like light-colored walls, floors, cabinetry, so it is just my cup of tea.
I know what you mean about her makeup.
I don’t mind Christina’s look at all, but I’m from Texas so perhaps I’m more accustomed to the aesthetic.
I love Chip and Joanna, and her style, Flip or Flop drives me bonkers. LOL
Meeeee toooo! Flip or Flop seems fake and forced to me. And they don’t seem to have the spark that the Gaines have. Or maybe that shiny Hollywood vibe they give out just turns me off
+1 don’t like flip or flop. Love chip n Joanna, love their vibe and the country/rural stuff
I refuse to watch Flip or Flop–they drive me bonkers, too, and I personally don’t think they have much, if any, style.
On the other hand, Chip and Joanna are a sweet and genuine couple, and they do first-rate work. I would LOVE to buy a fixer-upper, have them do the work, and Joanna decorate it, because she has natural talent and style.
HOWEVER, I am growing weary of Chip’s look-at-me antics and thinking he’s just so cute. AND, I cannot believe that anyone who is college-educated, as these two people are, cannot know that being gay is NOT a choice. The viewpoint that a gay person can be “converted” through Christian therapy reeks of unawareness and just plain ignorance.
My admiration for Chip and Joanna will never again be what it once was.
I LOVE fixer upper, have since the first episode!! I love that they do the construction and design themselves (which is why I DONT like flip or flop) and I think even if we see a same sex couple on the show now, people will think it’s for “show” so we’ll see how this plays out.
I’m wondering when Christina’s face will actually move when she talks. I find myself mesmerized by how little it actually moves.
If their pastor is homophobic and they’ve never featured LGBT people in their show, I don’t see how it’s intolerant to ask them what their thoughts on the matter actually are.
Their beliefs are their own & they can think what they like. Another witch hunt because we think they might, someday, discriminate? Just say no to thought police.
They can think what the want, but that doesn’t mean they should be above being questioned on their beliefs. Sorry, THEY put themselves on TV and are reaping the benefits of fame. If they wanted not to be criticized they shouldn’t be on TV.
Bonniejean… I am with you on this. My gosh… How is this even a thing? If they haven’t said something hateful, leave them alone. We all have a right to our own ideas and opinions. What is wrong with everyone?
They can believe what they want, and we can ask them about it and choose to spend our money and time accordingly.
Having grown up in a similar Evangelical milieu, they are more than likely tithing a large portion of their Fixer-Upper income to their church. Their money funds this pastor, the things he says, and the things the church does. The political is personal, and vice versa. Ignoring that fact is one of the reasons we have so much creep of religion, particularly conservative Evangelical religion, into our government locally, statewide, and nationally.
No one is stopping them from believing whatever they want. They can believe that being gay is a choice and conversion therapy is ethical – it’s their right. However, they are selling a product (their show) and as a consumer I get to choose who I want to support and who I don’t. I choose to not support people who discriminate against the LGBTQ community. Asking a public figures questions is not a bad thing and it doesn’t stop them from believing whatever they want.
Okay, so if you guys found out I collect nazi parafernalia and I have quotes from Mein Kampf in banners all over my house, however I have never actually said anything antisemitic in public, you would be fiercely defending my right to not give any explanation about that?
Their pastor is not some random 3rd-grade cousin who they could perfectly disagree with. He’s their spiritual leader. Yeah, some church attendees don’t agree with every single bit their pastor preaches, but there’s a reason atheist liberals don’t go to church. You don’t go there if you don’t share, at least, most of those values.
I’m not demanding them to stop going to that church. I’m not even demanding them to feature a gay couple on their show. I simply want to know what their thoughts on the matter are.
This hypersensitivity of conservative groups is really getting on my nerves. First they get offended when they display homophobic behavior and people rightfully call them homophobes. Now they get offended we’d ASK wether they are homophobes or not!
That’s where I disagree with you . Nobody is saying that they can’t pray or be in a part of a church.
Say someone goes to a Klan rally every week, (as disgusting as it sounds) and is apart of the rally every week . Then they have a successful business that from the outside looks like it’s on the up and up. That person on their free time still is involved in hateful banter , which is disgusting . They should be called out on it, right?
It’s the same thing here. A human being has no choice regarding t their orientation . To be singled out and treated badly and painted as something vile and disgusting in unacceptable to me.
@Josefina it’s called hypocrisy. People want the right to criticize ideologies that aren’t their own but can’t stand to have their own questioned…I have absolutely no respect for people like that. Hell, the Westboro Baptist Church is disgusting but at least they are front and center with their beliefs. So are the KKK and the neo-Nazis. I find that better then hiding behind your religion and religious leaders.
I have to laugh at them being “public figures”. I have never watched the show so I don’t know anything about them. I suppose you are correct, being that they are on tv. I guess I just don’t think I am owed an explanation as far as what everyone thinks about every social issue. I am not going to make sure my dry cleaner voted “correctly” according to my beliefs and I am not going to ask the guy that runs our favorite bar where he stands on climate change.
There are enough people out there that spew hateful things… I don’t have to dig into the background of someone on tv looking for a scandal. But that was just my thoughts. And yes, everyone can boycott or spend their money as they see fit… And I am all for that.
These two are super annoying and while I did enjoy the show for a couple years, her houses all end up with same bland renovation hardware/pottery barn decor. They also seemed to have more older homes in the beginning, now it’s a lot of boring ranches. No problem calling them out on a channel that celebrates diversity and has always had lots of same sex couples. We are about to enter a very dark 4 years with Trump and republicans trying to desperately turn back the clock on issues like choice, climate change and LBQT rights. We’re going to have to fight like hell against these people and their regressive vision of our country. Anyone under 50 who believes in 2016 that gay conversion works and being gay is an abomination is not okay. HGTV statement seems very slippery. Obviously these guys believe all this terrible nonsense.
@Lalu and @BonnieJean: If their pastor was preaching some of the gross enabling and victim-blaming stances that some religious groups have held on pedophilia, rape, and domestic violence, would the two of you (and anyone else who agrees with you) still be saying that it’s their business, nobody has the right to question them on what they believe, that anyone who questions or criticizes them is thought-policing and going on a witch-hunt, and that until they actually molest a child or rape someone, or until the guy hits his wife, they have the right to privately agree with their pastor’s abuser-enabling stances without the public questioning or criticizing their ethics?
Molestation & rape compared to the maybe the Gaines’ are thinking something, but I’m not sure — are well, not-comparable.
@BonnieJean: I’m not talking about them actually raping or abusing anybody themselves. I’m talking about beliefs. If their pastor preached a message that endangered married straight women and children and promoted/enabled abuse against them (instead of preaching a message that endangers and enables abuse against gay and bisexual people), would you (and others who agree with you) still say it was wrong, hateful, thought-policing, witch-hating, or violating their right to an opinion or freedom of religion for people to just want to know if these people agreed with their pastor’s message and criticize or not want to support them if it turned out they did?
@BonnieJean
Oh, come on now.
A) They live in an area that is apparently well known for being extremely conservative (I’m not sure about this).
B) Their pastor, their spiritual leader, is a huge homophobe.
C) They’ve never featured LGBT people in their show.
D) They didn’t deny anything themselves, which I think most pro-LGBT people would do if they were accused of being homophobic.
Maybe we are wrong and they are not homophobes, but looking at the facts as they are shown, it’s much more likely they are. And I still don’t understand why you think asking someone what their beleifs are constitutes such a horrible crime. I’m not silencing them, nor am I asking them to stop attending that church.
@ Josefina…I don’t recall them being questioned/interrogated concerning their beliefs. Why do they have to ‘come out’ & convince people of anything? Once upon a time, didn’t we do that to gay persons & now we’re going to turn it back around? Makes no sense to me. I am glad they declined to comment — they shouldn’t have to.
Agreed, Bonnie Jean!
@BonnieJean
A story broke out about their pastor and now people are wondering whether these 2 are homophobes or not. You know, my problem isn’t even with them. It’s with the people like you who think that ASKING them to clarify their beliefs constitutes some sort of reversed hate crime.
As for equating being a homophobe with being homosexual… I frankly have no words for that.
@Josefina
People are wondering whether these 2 are homophobes? People can wonder all they want, but the Gaines don’t owe them an explanation of their beliefs. And now you say your problem isn’t even with them, you now have a problem with me? This has gotten too silly for me to even continue.
I say good day.
I find this disconcerting. I’m a Lutheran and my church allows for gay marriage as well as gay clergy but doesn’t agree with abortion so does that make me acceptable or not? Does that mean I can work at HGTV or not? My sister is Catholic, her church doesn’t accept gay marriage, have female clergy or agree with abortion or birth control, yet she believes differently but still considers herself a catholic and goes to church on most Sundays. Does that mean she can’t work at HGTV? What religions and churches acceptable and what are not and who decides?
+1 Susannah.
It’s not about church and religion not being acceptable. It’s about people wondering if this couple supports a specific abusive, discriminatory message being peddled by their pastor. Freedom of religion and the right to an opinion doesn’t mean that other people don’t have the right to discuss, question, criticize, and make decisions about whether or not they’re personally comfortable with lining the pockets of or adding to the platform of someone based on whether or not they condone discrimination and abuse.
I’m sorry but I do feel it is about church and religion though since a lot of the more conservative churches, mosques and synagogues are anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, etc. So do you file through the house of worship of each person on TV to see which are acceptable and which aren’t? Does that mean all Catholics should be excluded for example? Do people who go to the Catholic church have to come out and disavow their church to appease the HGTV audience? Is it just gay marriage they have to disavow or do they have to be pro-choice as well and pro female clergy? As abhorrent as those beliefs are to me, I find this very unsettling and sounds similar to something Trump would do to his opponents.
These two are super annoying and while I did enjoy the show for a couple years, her houses all end up with same bland renovation hardware/pottery barn decor. They also seemed to have more older homes in the beginning, now it’s a lot of boring ranches. No problem calling them out on a channel that celebrates diversity and has always had lots of same sex couples. We are about to enter a very dark 4 years with Trump and republicans trying to desperately turn back the clock on issues like choice, climate change and LBQT rights. We’re going to have to fight like hell against these people and their regressive vision of our country. Anyone under 50 who believes in 2016 that gay conversion works and being gay is an abomination is not okay. HGTV statement seems very slippery. Obviously these guys believe all this terrible nonsense.
Religion poisons everything. Especially people’s mind.
+1
Isn’t it unfortunate? I wonder if the original intent was mind control, a power grab, or truly the hope of inspiring people toward something good. Did it start out bad or did it get twisted along the way?
I believe Christianity started out good, as a means of comforting people living under oppressive Roman rule, but quickly became a means of seizing power from the Romans. A lot of the crap we deal with today stems directly from efforts to quash Roman rule. Jesus, who I do believe was a real person who tried to teach tolerance and compassion, never said anything about homosexuality, but the Bible comes down hard on it in several places. Not for nothing, the Romans were super into homosexuality, and saying “this will make you burn in hell” became a way to position early Christian leaders as moral authorities over Romans. Early Christianity was built on the idea of making everyone afraid of the afterlife (which the Roman pantheistic faith did not fear in the same way), and citing those extravagances of Rome as the things that would get you punished (gluttony, lechery, etc).
Basically we’re stuck with all this religion-fueled hatred because some people got sick of paying Roman taxes.
@Algernon Thank you, we must always see how things fit in a larger context. When and where in history matters.
I think you understand how fucked up humanity is when you look at Jesus and his story. He preached about nothing but love, inclusion, respect and forgiveness. And those teachings led to the crusades, the torture of all sinners, and 2 thousand years of oppression.
The kindest man in history happens to be the one who has had most murders done in his name.
There’s been research that has shown that humans (absent religion, nationality, etc.) are capable of maintaining social cohesion with, at most, 150 people. Humans are tribal at heart and I honestly believe if all religion disappeared tomorrow humanity would just become more racist, homophobic, sexist. It’s human nature, not religion, that’s the problem. And I say that as an agnostic. I think, though, that we should be striving to better ourselves by being less tribal. People who are racist, sexist, homophobic etc are an impediment to the improvement of humanity. So no passes from me!
If religion died out tomorrow (and it *is* dying out, everywhere but especially in developed nations that are less reliant on religious institutions for social safety nets), we’d still have nations, ethnicities/races, and stuff like sports teams and celebrity gossip to form tribes around. At this point, organized religion is no longer serving the purpose of uniting people, it’s actively tearing us apart. We’re *trying* to be less tribal (extending civil rights once seen as the domain of white, land-owning men to everyone, etc), but religion is too often used to reinforce partitions between people. Like this conversion therapy stuff, it’s just the Spanish Inquistion redressed for a new century. It’s the same “torture them till they’re just like us” attitude.
HGTV does have an excellent record in regards to diversity . That’s not the question . It’s about Joanna and Chip. On the the outside they come across very lovely , but where do they stand on their views regarding LGBT ? This is still free country , you can believe and pray however you want to . But I as a consumer I have the right to boycott anything that offends me. They’ve had the opportunity to release a statement and immediately shut this down if they wanted to , but haven’t . Which makes me believe that they do have some prejudice against LGBT. Which is a problem with me and means I won’t be watching anymore .
If they go to that church & support anti-LGBTQ propaganda then they are part of the problem. Imagine if they went to a church that supported slavery or said Jewish people should be “converted”. Intolerance can’t hide behind religion to fake legitimacy. Never watched their show & won’t start now…
They live in Waco and most of the people on the show are affiliated with Baylor (a private Christian college). They famously only work with people who live a certain driving time from their house-I think it’s a hour.
If they haven’t had anyone who is lgbtq it’s more likely because that group is pretty shunned in Waco/central Texas. I wonder if they did a series in Houston/Austin/Dallas if it would still work out that way
+1
Having lived in Waco for a period of time, I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. I was even warned of such religious conservatives before I went. Not that everyone there is like that, but it is a very religious town.
Translation: this show is a huge cash cow for us, so we’re going to deflect as long as we possibly can (or until one of them actually makes their stance clear) so we don’t risk losing revenue either way.
I spent lots of time in churches where there was a firm anti-LGBT sentiment. However, I am pro LGBT. For me, I eventually left those churches and found something that matched my conscience. However, because of my own experience, I would not automatically think they automatically held anti-LGBT sentiments. Most of the people in the pews don’t believe half of what is preached, they go there for other reasons.
Well a lot of German’s weren’t against Jews, they just liked the Nazis financial policies. The Nazis did a lot to bring Germany out of financial crisis, but we’re not giving a historical pass to the supporters that backed them for non-hateful reasons. So why should we give the Gaines or other religious people a pass for supporting hateful ideology by their inaction and compliance? Sorry I don’t get that reasoning.
I’m not giving them a pass, I’m just not going to assume that they’re hateful because when I was in a church like theirs I was not. I can’t get inside their head to figure out what the truth is. It’s up to them to disclose if they choose to.
My family heritage is Jamaican. When I tell people that, I know that most people might think that I don’t like gay people when that’s not true because of what is known about the culture. Just because I may be surrounded by people who are anti-LGBT, doesn’t mean I am. My heritage and religion didn’t stop me from doing what I think is right and I’m extending that possibility to them.
I kind of disagree with this. I grew up Southern Baptist, the same denomination as Baylor University–the rabidly anti-gay, conservative university located in Waco run by the Southern Baptist Convention. Both my parents went to Baylor. Growing up, my preacher didn’t mince words when he spoke about the sin of homosexuality and how gays needed to repent and either seek a heteronormative life or embrace celibacy. I feel like most everyone agreed with him, especially after having speakers come in who had “successfully” gone through conversion therapy (basically, they’d just found a way to function while suppressing their same-sex attraction). If it weren’t for the fact that their son (me) is gay, I don’t think my parents’ beliefs regarding the LGBTQ community would have ever been challenged.
+1 Saw this exact situation happen to another Baylor/Waco family. If son hadn’t have been gay, they would have never challenged their church’s position.
Why don’t they just build a shabby chic country chapel in one of those silo things and just worship whatever they worship in private so we can go about not thinking about this. In fact, why don’t we do a show about tiny churches and everyone can move to their own tiny church in the woods where they mind their own business and we mind our own business and no one ever knows the messed up junk we all believe. And no one ever talks about. Like ever.
I love this comment.
This is a non-issue because no self respecting gay man or woman is going to choose to have their house turned into Joanna’s farmhouse shiplap distressed HELL! Bahaha
Your name and the comment are delightful hahahahaha yesssssss
The Gaines are just the talent. It’s the executives that chose who is chosen to go on the show. There church seems so stupid though. With comments like that, no doubt that that that preacher is gay.
If the Gaines’ pastor preached the same kinds of things about black people or Jewish people as he does about LGBT people, would we even have this discussion? Given they are the focus of a hard sell to the public with a TV show and seminars and everything else that goes with it, wouldn’t it be reasonable to ask if they shared the racist, anti-Semitic views of their pastor?
And to build on what others have said upthread, the persecution complex among conservatives is galling. You get upset when you’re called out on homophobic behavior AND you get upset when you’re ASKED about your own views on others’ homophobic behavior AND you get upset when we protest someone else’s homophobic behavior. “Thought police”! Really, now.
They are going by scripture. I don’t know why people insist on comparing sexual orientation with race or ethnicity. Nowhere in the Bible does it say certain races are sinful so your comparison doesn’t work.
@ N, Traditional christian teaching used to site the Curse of Ham (Genesis 9:20-27)to say that Black people were cursed and therefore inferior. So unfortunately that has been done. Most churches no longer follow this teaching though.
@N: The comparison works because both deal with groups of people being discriminated and abused. The difference is that one is discrimination based on race and what country someone’s from, and the other deals with discrimination based on biological sex and sexual orientation. Religion has been used both in the past and in modern times to justify both homophobia and stances against interracial marriage, (as well as slavery) so that’s another thing they have in common.
It’s also a little bit disturbing (and very telling) that “They’re going by scripture! No thought-policing!” is seen by some as a healthy, acceptable, logical response to (discrimination and abuse-enabling) stances being questioned and criticized by the public. No ‘Appeal to authority/tradition’ fallacies or signs of religious brainwashing there.
I think that people compare sexual orientation to race or ethnicity because, like a person’s race or ethnicity, sexual orientation isn’t something that can be changed. Yes, you can change your behavior resulting from your sexual orientation, but you can’t change same-sex attraction. If you really pressed someone who was involved in conversion therapy, they would eventually admit this to you — if they were being honest.
I was speaking in the most literal sense. The bible outright says homosexuality is an abomination.
The things you speak of are others interpretations of scripture, not what actually is there written in clear words repeatedly.
oh my god – it’s WACO. How many lgbt couples are moving there??
And how many of those couples want a house full of clocks and shhiplap?
If a gay couple tried to get on the show, and believed that they were denied because they were gay, it seems pretty likely that they would have come forward by now. HGTV has a reputation to maintain, and I doubt very seriously they give enough power to the “stars” of the show (I use the word in quotes, because we all know that shiplap is the real star of that show) to discriminate and risk their brand.
This is a bit horrifying to me. The couple has done nothing or said anything on the show or in their public lives to push an anti-gay agenda, but they are being attacked for simply attending church. I guess everyone upset here are going to start boycotting any businesses owned by Catholics since the Catholic church doesn’t believe in homosexuality too? Muslim and most forms of Judaism as well.
I’m a firm believer that we aren’t owed any information about people’s private lives, even if they are famous. They don’t have to tell us who they vote for, what their political opinion is on any subject , who they are dating/sleeping with, and what they do with their money. It makes me extremely uncomfortable that people are demanding this. I have seen this on both sides of the political spectrum, BTW, and they are both wrong in my opinion. Yes, I realize that this is a gossip site, and it is what we talk about, but we aren’t OWED answers from the people we talk about.
They are allowed to worship where they want to, and they are allowed to believe whatever they want to. Until they start actively discriminating or publicly using their show/fame to push an agenda though, it’s a nonissue to me. I will continue to watch the show when nothing else is on and think about how I would not allow her anywhere NEAR my house for decorating.
The biggest problem with the Thought Police is that your way of thinking might not always be THE way of thinking.
“The biggest problem with the Thought Police is that your way of thinking might not always be THE way of thinking.”
You said that so well. Our society now just makes these harsh assumptions about people! No Christian that I can think of that I know would be mean to, refuse to serve, etc the LGBT community. But a lot of exchurchgoers or anti-religion people assume that they do. And that’s just as bad. If you do this, if you assume and put words into these people’s mouths, you’re doing the very thing your accusing them of: being close minded and bigoted. Until they speak, until they talk to you, don’t perpetuate and divide. There’s enough of that already in our world. It’s ok if someone doesn’t agree with you (IF that is even what’s going on),
“No Christian that I can think of that I know would be mean to, refuse to serve, etc the LGBT community.”
What about the multitude of cake bakers and florists who are doing just that? Refusing to serve gay couples? These people are the ones who are going to bring the discrimination ordinance cases to SCOTUS, so, yes, there are definitely Christians who have unequivocally said that they will not serve gay clients.
I should’ve clarified that I meant personally. No Christian that I know personally would do that, so that’s what I need to judge people on.
Very well said.
+10000
Yes. What’s with the pre-emptive harassment and accusations towards this couple based on no information that has anything to do with their show? No one has said the Gainses discriminated against them. It’s the media and random people demanding the Gainses answer questions on their personal, religious, beliefs. This is crazy. They don’t have to answer anyone about anything to do with their faith. That isn’t what their show is about.
And even if they were against gay marriage. So what. That isn’t illegal. Don’t watch their show if you don’t like them. But people are entitled to freedom of religion and thought. These accusers have the right not to watch their show but they don’t have the right to put them out of work and destroy their lives. Talk about unlawful harassment.
To me it seems like their defenders are the ones who are making a mountain out of a molehill. An article was published outing their pastor as a homophobe and advocate of conversation therapy. So some of their fans were curious about their thoughts on the matter. Nobody is marching outside their home, demanding that they explain their beliefs. Nobody is calling for them to be fired. Some of their fans simply asked them on Twitter whether they agreed with their pastor or not. While it’s true that they don’t “owe” anyone an explanation, I don’t understand why it’s so offensive for their fans to simply ask them about an article that was published in the the press.
I’ve seen some articles suggesting that it was unfair for Buzfeed to dig into their religious beliefs in the first place. If you want to criticize Buzfeed for stirring the pot , fine.
I just really don’t understand why their fans are being attacked or accused of intolerance for merely asking a question.
@Goldie
“Some of their fans simply asked them on Twitter whether they agreed with their pastor or not. I don’t understand why it’s so offensive for their fans to simply ask them about an article that was published in the the press.”
It sounds so innocent to say that but why do Buzzfeed or anyone want to know their beliefs? It’s not their business. The people demanding an answer seem to want to take action depending on what the Gainses answer is in order to retaliate against them. There’s been a constant attack on religion, specifically Christianity, socially and legally based on their beliefs, which is against the 1st Amendment. So it’s not so innocent. Duck Dynasty is an example. They demanded the show be canceled based on one of those Duck people’s religious beliefs. It was, which is discrimination, then it was brought back because of their supporters or just those who support not discriminating against people for their beliefs.
It’s a dangerous precedent to set when the general public thinks it’s ok to think someone else’s sexuality or religious beliefs is their business and start demanding to know. Because if they’re asking, they obviously want to know. And no one has to agree with another but I guarantee you they will demand the show be canceled if they don’t like the answer. They won’t stop at just turning the dial. And that is discrimination based on religion. The same as wanting to know if someone is gay in order not to hire them or in order to fire them.
Exactly, Goldie. @Thinkingaboutit: An attack on homophobia is not an attack on Christianity (Let’s not try to make martyrs out of the privileged) because not all Christians or religious people are homophobes like this pastor who promote people being psychologically and physically abused, bullied, and put at risk for depression and suicide over their gender and sexual orientation. It’s a choice to condone things like that. And if by constant attack on religion/Christianity, you mean Christianity and religion are no longer as revered and unquestioned as they once were, people are exercising their first amendment right to be critical of those things, and people are becoming less accepting of Christianity and religion being used to defend homophobia, sexism, abuse, and attacks on women’s reproductive freedom, those are things that need to happen and are not a violation of anyone’s first amendment rights. There’s no need to get a persecution complex about these societal changes, it’s just a loss of the unchecked power a group of people has held in Western society for centuries. The Duck Dynasty guy caught flack for being homophobic and racist, not for being Christian and religious, and it’s not even fair to Christians and religious people to try to make it as if that’s a stance they all share just to defend the ones who do.
The dangerous precedent is to normalize oppression by implying that discrimination and abuse are ok as long as the person hides behind religion as their excuse for it, to try to silence people who are just questioning and criticizing whether or not someone supports those things, and to falsely equate that questioning and criticizing with people not being hired just because they’re gay or religious.
Reading some of the comments on here you’d think the couple actually said or did something that was anti-gay. I don’t watch the show but from my understanding they don’t travel far to renovate homes. So that brings me to my first question. Are there gay couples living in Waco, Texas? My second question is if a gay couple was denied to be on their show, wouldn’t it have already come out? Honestly all of this stuff is exhausting. Assumptions and a witch hunt with no evidence to back anything up. This is why I could never be famous. Even when you don’t say or do anything people attack you and assume you do things.
I have never cared for them – and this started way before anything “controversial” happened. As someone mentioned upthread, Flip or Flop is my jam. I puffy heart Tarek & Christina. 😄
To each his or her own because that couple is so boring to me. They have zero personality. And she seems like a real downer.
As a gay person I just can’t imagine that there are that many people wanting to move to Waco, Texas, and that if there are any, they are saving up to move out. Before the Gaineses the only thing I knew about Waco was David Koresh.
I never liked their show , she thinks she knows what she’s doing but its other people doing all the work .She has no clue also she talks to her husband like his a dummy and he is so scared of her he cant think on his own
This post and the comments made me think of a Texas Monthly article about how the Gaineses are changing the reputation of Waco as being known only for the Branch Davidians. The article was published two months ago in the October issue before the BuzzFeed story.
In it, the reporter briefly describes an encounter with a waiter in his Waco hotel’s restaurant. The waiter had recently moved to Waco with his husband because they were fans of Fixer Upper and thought the small town looked more peaceful than Orlando (where they had been living). Here is a little bit from the article about the waiter and his husband’s take on Waco…
“He had been worried it would be too Christian, as he put it, but the Christians are nice. Sometimes it gets a little much, the smallness of the place and the Christianness and the heterosexuality, and he and his husband drive to Houston for happy hour, but for the most part they love their new hometown.”
While interviewing Joanna Gaines later, the reporter relays the story of his encounter with the waiter to her. Upon learning the man and his husband had moved to Waco because of Fixer Upper, Joanna responds by sending gifts to the men …
“…“Well, that’s just dreamy,” Joanna said. She sent someone to get a canvas bag full of Fixer Upper swag and asked if I would bring it back to my hotel, to Jerry. I told her I would.”
Here is a link to the October issue featuring the article http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/how-chip-and-joanna-gaines-renovated-waco/
there are plenty of sites that discuss only celeb news without any political angle and of course it is your choice whether to stay here or not. i love that the site has so many informed and thoughtful discussions about the issues of today beyond celeb shenanigans. the celeb gossip brought me here but I’ve stayed for the interesting political and cultural views.
I’m ashamed to say I had one too many mojitos and bought their book. On my kindle, that is – it’s not one for the bookshelf. It’s mostly narrated by Joanna (Chip chips in in another font). It’s as sickly as you’d expect. There’s something disconcerting about their manufactured image of perfection. It’s eerie.
This couple has not spoken publicly in an anti LGBTQ way. I may disagree vehemently with their pastors stance …..and I do indeed……but they don’t owe me any explanation of their private beliefs. If they make it public, then I may choose to boycott them. (Truthfully I’ve never watched their show anyway). I don’t go to Hobby Lobby or Chick Fil A. But I don’t believe they should alter their beliefs,
When it moves to public action……and causing harm to others…….then I’ll rip them a new one,
But otherwise, not my business what they think and they aren’t making it my business by sharing it.
All I have to say is, “The company you keep.”